Sunday, April 26, 2009

Nice Weekend

Friday was Farm Day. Our head coach Ben went to Yale, but now he's a farmer, a decision that I'm sure his parents had some trouble dealing with. Not that I don't appreciate farming, farmers, and farms, but I think it's an unconventional career path for a Yale man. It is an adorable farm though, with goats, cows, chickens, and sheep. I even got to hold a lamb, and I caught a chicken, something that if I recall, gave EGA some trouble. We had a short scavenger hunt, and then had a team dinner in the barn. It was a nice evening. I had tickets for The Decemberists, but we didn't get back in time. It's ok though, they'll be back, and I don't love their new album anyway. I'm glad I went to Farm Day, I like doing stuff with the team.Saturday was The Rescue of Joseph Kony's Child Soldiers, so I caught an early bus to Boston. I ended up going by myself, child soldiers can't compete with a rugby match and Senior Ball, but I'm pretty independent. I never have a problem going off on my own, I do SCA, I explored Paris by myself for the most part, this was just another solo adventure. I chose not to focus on the alone part, and have a good time and use it as an opportunity to meet new people. Sarah M. and her boyfriend met me at South Station, and we all went out to lunch in the North End. We found this little lunch place where the waiters jump in and out of windows to bring people their food, so that was fun. The windows were pretty high too, higher than my knees, it reminded me of the jumping drills we used to do at Geneseo. After lunch they walked me to my starting point, and I signed in and was officially Abducted. I was kind of early, so I sat on a wall and talked to some girls. I think I should probably get some TOMS, I had this whole long conversation with a girl about them, and I don't even own them. It makes me feel like a poseur. Anyway, I eventually found a few other people that had come by themselves, and so we sort of stuck together for the rest of the day. Around three thirty we started walking to the "LRA Camp". We all held onto a rope and walked along the Freedom Trail in silence. We actually got a decent amount of attention, but a lot of it was negative. One man yelled out of his window that we should be focused on freeing Palestine, and some toolish guy tried to debate with us about whether the war in Uganda is actually the longest running war in Africa. (When people asked us what we were doing we were supposed to say "We're trying to end the longest running war in Africa." but I don't know if it is true or not. The Falling Whistles people claim that the war in the Congo is the longest running war. Then again, they ripped off my $30, so I don't know if I trust them as a source.) I don't see why people felt the need to heckle the peace protesters, but they did. The main event was on the Boston Common. When we got there we handed over our family pictures, and started writing letters. It was pretty cool to see all the people that came out, my friend Josh estimated that there were about a thousand people there. It was a pretty young crowd too, there were some parents, skewing the mean age, but it was mostly high school kids. I felt old. Aside from letter writing and a little art project there weren't any planned activities. We sat on the lawn and talked for the most part. At one point there was a massive game of quackadilly that lasted for a good forty five minutes. We had probably five circles within the main circle, since whenever people got out they would go into the middle and start a new game.John Kerry and Ted Kennedy didn't show, like big jerks. They sent an intern that clearly didn't have a clue. We had to be polite about it, but I heard the event coordinator talking about it after and he was furious. It was a big event, they should have come in person. We got some media coverage, but the news stations actually asked us to stop calling because so many people were on the phone trying to get the media to come out. I talked to a couple of student reporters though, which is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. At least someone came out to cover the event. I think it was newsworthy.Later in the evening we actually had a former member of the LRA come and talk to us. It was really sad. He goes around to campuses lecturing, but he still got very emotional talking about his experiences. It's awful, but I had a hard time understanding what he was saying. His English isn't great, and he was choked up, but I got the gyst. That was probably the best part of the event. There was also a sing-along, but that was actually pretty painful. I hate being that person that thinks they're too cool to sing along, but singing "Imagine" when you only know like one and a half verses is not ok. It is only made worse when it is being attempted by nine hundred people, all starting at different times, singing different parts.The event broke up around ten when Justin Masterson showed up. He was pretty hilarious actually, he said that he supports our cause and thinks that all children should get to play for the Red Sox. Because that's clearly what child soldiers need. He didn't have a clue, but the Red Sox had just beaten the Yankees, so I was impressed that he showed at all. And I got to shake his hand. He certainly is tall and bald.Sarah came to meet me at the Commons to save me from getting lost and needing to be rescued (again), and we took the T back to her apartment. Tim had told her to make sure she had beer in the house, since I would need one after playing child soldier all day, but I was more about the amazing frozen yogurt she had gotten me. (Strawberry apricot. Yum.)Today has been pretty low key. I had an endless bus ride, and then, because it was a beautiful day, I stayed in my room "working" (sleeping). It was the Comstock Senior Banquet tonight, so I worked a little later than usual because they were shorthanded. The theme was Moulin Rouge, so all the girls were in fishnets and top hats, it was quite a sight. Scrubbing pots was incredibly hot work, so I took a brief break in the walk-in refrigerator like in Mostly Martha. It was raining when I got off work, and it smelled wonderful, like summer. I'm feeling really good about life as long as I don't think about the next two weeks. Soon it will be summer, and even if it won't be the Dollhouse-esque experience I would like (running, yoga, bonsai cutting class), it will be nice.

3 comments:

I'm glad you liked the fro-yo. :) One of the best/worst things that has ever happened to me/my paycheck is learning that you can get fat-free frozen yogurt delivered to your doorstep in Cambridge. Sigh. I love it.

Plus "Imagine" really has no tune, so that probably sounded pretty awful. Also, I managed to catch that chicken in the end! And I love wandering in strange cities by myself; you do the best exploring when you don't have to compromise, and you don't feel bad if what you really want is to spend an hour reading in a tea garden.

Also I love that your summer goal is to live like the dolls. Are you going to take time off to work as a dominatrix? And more importantly, are you going to come visit your poor sick sister?